A Calpico Summer
Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director/Photographer/Retoucher: Yu-Sheng Chiu
1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?
I began photographing people for my reselling platform during university as a side hustle and developed a passion for photography. I eventually decided to pursue photography full-time and moved to Ontario to obtain a diploma in photographic arts and production. Since then, my practice has been influenced by a plethora of references in feminist art, pop culture, fashion, music, and more, while addressing my own experiences of solitude. I examine human forms, landscapes, and the complex relationships between self, sexuality, and the idea of homeliness as a Southeast Asian woman who spent her teenage years alone in the West, trying to find a space where I belong.
2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?
One of my favorite collaborations was with my friend Charlandjuna Gracieuse, a multidisciplinary artist. She approached me with the idea of posing with a series of enlarged images projected onto a wall to reenact her healing journey. To make the projected images appear more vibrant, we turned off all the lights in the room and used the longest exposure time I have ever used to capture her interactions. The result was far more vulnerable and powerful than we had envisioned. It is important to understand that having unconditional trust in each other throughout a collaboration is essential for success.
3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?
In 2021, I worked with the Montreal-based brand Captive Atelier to produce a self-portrait series inspired by their collection "Novae." Instead of using conventional fashion photography style, I built a set in the bathtub with two rolls of scrunched-up tin foil and a purple bath bomb to create a cosmic-like space and photographed myself in it. Without professional lighting equipment and limited space for positioning my tripod, I focused on making the most of the reflections and flash in the most interesting way possible while enjoying the creative process. This project was an invaluable learning experience, helping me understand the relationship between lighting and styling and directing in a hands-on approach. It equipped me to become a more versatile photo-based artist capable of working independently.
4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?
Coming from a rich cultural background between Taiwan and North America, I use lens-based mediums as my primary tools for storytelling through narrative portraiture, often including marginalized representation and self-portraits. I believe my work offers a fresh perspective that brings awareness to Asian women’s reclamation of agency in the fine arts, deserving a significant place in the contemporary art world.
5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?
As I am still in school completing my BFA, I am working towards being included in exhibitions and publications more frequently, alongside earning my degree. I began being accepted into group shows this summer, which still feels like a dream. A future goal of mine is to be commissioned for photography projects in other major cities. However, nothing is more important to me than creating new works and sharing them with my audience, which is something I strive to do consistently. I truly cannot imagine a life where I am not an artist.
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"A Calpico Summer" is a series that celebrates the arrival of season and raises awareness of the importance of self-care. Inspired by Calpis—a Japanese soft drink I enjoyed growing up that is famous for its lighthearted commercials, I loosely adapted the cool-toned palette that is often seen in its advertisements as well as the polka dot design on the package in order to reimagine a space where we can free our inner child to play, relax, and ultimately tend to what their heart desires. Surrounded by oranges and old CDs, I dressed the model in a slightly oversized blazer and a loosen tie to highlight the contrast between the mundane life that we live as adults and the craving of nostalgia. With a calm, intuitive approach to achieve this idea, I hope my work serves as a reminder for the audience to take a moment to be gentler to themselves.
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Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director/Photographer/Retoucher: Yu-Sheng Chiu
Model: David Sibo